While children in the United States were hunting for eggs and scarfing chocolate out of baskets, I was watching biblical movies on TV with my Tico family. The airwaves were flooded with every old Christian film ever made. There was nothing else. No news. No soaps. Not even soccer! It was a nonstop marathon covering the old and new testaments, all dubbed in Spanish.

And of course we ate a nice big meal together. After Friday, we no longer had to abstain from meat. So lunch included "arroz con pollo" - rice with chicken breast that had been slow-cooked all night in a delicious garlicky sauce. There was also a pasta dish with tomatoes and tuna. (I'm surprised at the amount of spaghetti they eat). And it was all washed down with a "fresco" made from fresh tamarindo and limon. It was all so good, I didn't even miss eating Cadbury eggs or jelly beans.

Afterwards there were some visitors, including Juan and Angelo and their wives. The women sat in the kitchen, drinking coffee and chatting. The men wandered around the back yard, telling stories and jokes. And then it was over. The family packed up and went on their way. They joked that I'd be all alone again, that I'd be happy to have my freedom back. And while that's partly true, I was also a little sad to see them go. I had fun practicing Spanish and teaching a little English. I enjoyed the company. While I don't mind solitude, I do like the feeling of warmth, of life, that comes with having family nearby, even if they're not my blood relatives. As Dulce was leaving, I made sure to stop her and thank her again for everything. She replied that it was her pleasure. And then she smiled and said, "You are my family!"

Labels: costa rica